Red Flint Barn is a new four-bedroom dwelling alongside the conversion of two barns in East Sussex.
The existing farm has sporadically grown over the past two centuries, with the oldest barn dating back to the late 18th century; however, this has since become heavily obscured by ad-hoc 20th century infills. Our proposal for a new dwelling begins by stripping away these later insertions to better reveal the original structure in its simplest form. The barns will be sympathetically repaired to house an external dining space, kitchen and an artist’s studio.
The new build house will wrap around the courtyard barns, taking the form of three interlinked buildings that draw upon the incremental development pattern of the farm.
Each building will offer its own distinct agricultural character, including a black pitched-roof ‘Living Wing’ and a silver barrel-vaulted ‘Bedroom Pod’.
The 'East Wing' adopts a low-lying vaulted roof with a combination of flint, Sussex brick and corrugated aluminium cladding in oxide red.
These materials all draw upon the eclectic palette of agricultural textures found within the existing farm.
The South Barn, East Wing and Living Wing come together around an inner courtyard. The circulation routes will frame views of the catslide roof and bring changing light conditions into the centre of the home.
The different component buildings form a rich variety of interior spaces with interlinking views, changing ceiling heights and a harmonious mix of natural materials alongside robust, utilitarian surfaces.